William c



(No Model.)

W. 0. HUMAN.

- SHEET METAL TABLE TOP. V No. 358,269. Patented Feb. 22, 1887.-

i N. PETERS. PhoW-Uthagnphur. Wnhinglon, D C. i

Middletown, in the county of Middlesex and UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM C. HOMAN, OF MIDDLETOWN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE STILES & PARKER PRESS COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

SHEET-M ETAL TABLE-TOP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 358,269, dated February 22, 1887.

Application filed January 3, 1887.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM C. HOMAN, of

State of Connecticut, have invented a new Improvement in Sheet-Metal Table-Tops; and I do hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, and represent, in-

Figure 1, a plan of a table-top showing the extensions at one end and on one side; Fig. 2, a vertical section through the joint between the top and one extension, showing the extension as raised, enlarged; Fig. 3, the same section as Fig. 2, showing the extension as folded, enlarged, Fig. 4-, a modification in the hinge, enlarged.

This invention relates to an improvement in the construction of sheet-metal table-tops such as used in cooking apparatus. The top of the table proper is made from sheet metal, A, Fig. 1, representing the top.v To give the requisite strength and support to the top the edge is turned downward in a molded form, and which gives an appearance of thickness to the top. The table-top is made extensible at one or both ends by a fold, B, Fig. 1, hinged to the end of the principal top, and so that it may be turned up'and supported when required for use, or turned down out of the way when not required for use, and on the side is a similar fold, C, hinged to the side of the principal top, and so that it may be turned down, or raised and supported, as the case may be. These extensions B O are also best made from sheet metal, as iron, and with a like edge as the topA.

My invention relates specially to the meth- 0d of constructing the hinge between the extensions and the top proper, and whereby the introduction of a pintle is avoided and the hinge made of a firm and strong character.

In Fig. 2 I represent a transverse section cutting through the joint between the top A and the extension B. On the adjacent edges of the two parts a flange, a, on the one part and b on the other is turned downward at substantially right angles to the plane of the two parts, and at thelower edge the flange a is bent Serial No. 223,293. (No model.)

outward and returned, to form a partial tube, d, parallel with the top of the table. This tubular portion (1 is cylindrical in shape; but the edge does not quite meet the inner surface of the flange, but is of such extent as to leave an opening, 6, into the tube. The flange b is curved inward, to form a like tube, f, parallel with the tube d, and of an internal diameter corresponding to the external diameter of the tube d- This tube f is not quite complete, but leaves a longitudinal opening, 9, corresponding to the opening 6 in the tube d. These two tubes are settogether by turning the one part, B, downward, and so far under the tube 61 that the edge of the tube dniay enter under the opening 9', as seenin brokenlines, Fig. 2. Then the part Bis turned backward and upward, and the'tubular parts are engaged so that the one tube forms a pintle upon which the other may turn.

1n the normal or folded condition of the extensions, as seen in Fig. 3, the extensions hang in avertical position, but yet the tubular parts in close engagement, so that the extensions may freely swing, separation only being possi- 7 5 ble whenthe extension is turned so far under the table-top proper as to permit its escape; but when the table-top is secured to the frame the legs of the table prevent such escaping position of the extensions. The top and the extensions under this construction may be struck from sheet metal in power-presses, the flanged edges afterward shaped to form the tubes.

The tubes may and should extend across the end or side of the table, as the case may be, so as to form a close joint, whether the top be open'or folded. \Vhen folded, as'in Fig. 3, the tube appears at the joint as a bead, which practically hides the joint, so that the table possesses a neat and finished appearance.

90 The hinge itself is strong and durable, not

liable to get out of repair; but permits the ready separation of the parts in packing for transportation. These extensions may be made upon one end, one side, or upon both ends or 5 both sides, or all sides and ends, this illustration being sufficient to enable such construction to be produced by those skilled in the art to which it pertains.

WVhile I prefer to make both tubes open, as

ICQ

I have described, and so that the two openings serve for the introduction of the one tube within the other, the inner tube may be made complete, as seen in Fig. 4, and inserted through the end of the outer tube, instead of being interlocked, as I have before described.

The hereindescribed improvement in sheetmetal table-tops, consisting of the top proper, A, with one or more sheet-metal extensions, the adjacent edges of the extensions and of the top constructed each with a downwardlyturned flange, the flange of the one part terminating in an open tube parallel with the top 

